Topic 2 Element 1 & 6 - Environmental Conditions & Maintaining Plant Health

Question 1

What are the Abiotic conditions that can affect plant health

Answer 1

Temperature
Wind
Water
Light
Humidity
Oxygen

Question 2

What is Abiotic?

Answer 2

Abiotic are non-living factors that can have a huge impact on a plants health.

Question 3

What affect can low temperatures have on plants?

Answer 3

• Slowing or stunting growth, due to reduced photosynthasis and enzyme activity.
• frost causes cells walls to fracture as water within the tissues freeze and expands, before rapidly thawing

Question 4

What affect can high temperatures have on plants?

Answer 4

• Photosynthesis slows as enzymes become less efficient
• Photorespiration occurs (use of oxygen instead of carbon dioxide
• Cells die, causing brown and crispy leaves beginning at the leaf margins

Question 5

What affect can too much shade have on plants?

Answer 5

Growth may become pale
Flowering my become reduced
Etiolation may occur where stems become thin and long and internodes are spaced out.

Question 6

What affect can wind have on plants?

Answer 6

Wind can have a drying effect om foliage
Constant wind pulls moisture from foliage faster than roots can draw it from the soil
Shed leaves and flowers
break branches
uproot trees and shrubs

Question 7

What affect can waterlogging have on plants?

Answer 7

Low levels of oxygen at the root can cause root rot which may result in wilting and blackening of the foliage.

Question 8

How can climate change affect abiotic conditions?

Answer 8

• Greater rainful
• Droughts
• Periods of high wind
• Temperatures lower in the winter

Question 9

How could you protect your plants from abiotic conditions?

Answer 9

• Covering plants with fleece to protect from frosts
• Creating windbreaks
• Plant to the correct depth to prevent issues of lack of, or excess, water
• Plant spacing accordingly, ensuring adequate light and ventilation and not overusing the soil.